5 Myths about Procedures and Automation

February 28th, 2010 by admin | 1 Comment | Filed in Uncategorized

I bet you always do your best to do your work very accurately and in a timely manner. That is especially crucial with people who charge their clients by the hour. And what’s the best way of achieving that? Creating/improving the procedures while automating as many processes as possible. Yes, you already know that, right?

However, the reality is that many business owners are not taking their time to take care of that important part of their business for various reasons. Well, I’m here to say most of those “reasons” are actually myths.

  1. Myth #1:

    My business changes all the time. If I create a procedure now, I’ll probably need to change it in a month. That would simply be a waste of time!

    I hear you, businesses do change over time. However, once you have a procedure, you can simply modify it as your business goes through changes. Writing up a procedure for the first time probably would be the toughest part, but it’s all worth it. Having procedures that really work for you could be a big time-saver, not a time-waster.

  2. Myth #2:

    I can lose my personal touch if I start automating my work. Automating sounds such a lazy thing to do, and I don’t see why I need to do that.

    There are two big things that automation can do for you solopreneurs. It will save you time and minimize errors. Let’s say you sell some products on your website, and you take care of all the order processing and fulfillment as well. An order comes in, then you send out a confirmation email to your customer, enter the order in your book, update the inventory, pack and ship the product, make sure the customer is added to your list for your next promotion… There are so many tasks associated with just one order, and that also means there are as many chances when an error can occur. Automating your procedure would greatly reduce that risk, and your customers would appreciate that. Then, you can spend your freed-up time on better things to show your personal touch, if you’d like! Thanks to the technology, there are so many tools out there that would help you automate many business processes.

  3. Myth #3:

    I don’t know how to write a procedure.

    You can make it as formal as you want it to be, but remember, you are writing a procedure for your business, not for your big boss. As long as you can follow it and use it to improve your business process, that’s good enough. To start, I would recommend just listing the steps of each task, including the timelines and responsible parties. If you are a visual person, use a simple flowchart. Writing current processes can also be a start point for a business automation.

  4. Myth #4:

    I remember what I need to do every day. There is no reason why I need to write procedures.

    They say that the 3 most dangerous words are “I know that.” Well, I’d like to add “I remember that.” to the list. It’s a human nature to make mistakes when you feel you are so used to do a task. Haven’t you made a mistake, and later wondered, “How could I have missed such a simple thing?” Wasn’t that a mistake that could have been simply avoided if you had had a simple checklist? Think about that.

  5. Myth #5:

    Automating business processes sounds so expensive!

    Just like writing procedures above, this is not a brain surgery. There are many no or low cost tools available that would help you automate. The services you are currently using just might already have some handy features you are not utilizing. If you have no idea where to start, just share your current procedures with somebody you know who is familiar with Internet Marketing. I know most people in Internet Marketing just love automation.

Happy systemizing! :)

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VA Toolbox: Tools to help you “batch”

February 9th, 2010 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

Have you heard of a word “batching”? When you try to maximize your time, it very often saves time to do work by batching similar tasks together. For example, you may want to block a time to concentrate on your social media efforts, handling your emails, etc.

With the technology today, it’s possible to do batch many common tasks. For example, I often write emails that need to go out on certain dates. What I do instead of writing those emails when they have to go out, I write some of them in advance and schedule them to go out on certain dates/times. Same with my blog articles. Here are some of the tools that I use to make batching possible:

Blog Platforms
Many blog platforms allow you to schedule exactly when your blog entry gets published. I normally write a blog entry (I use WordPress.), then schedule it to get published to suit my needs. For example, I normally schedule to publish my article right before my newsletter goes out so that my newsletter subscribers will be able to follow the link to read the full article at the right timing.

Email Tools
I use Outlook as my main email client, and I can easily schedule future email deliveries. The only problem is that my PC needs to be up and running when the scheduled emails go out. I also use Gmail to handle one email account that I have with one of my clients’ domain. I love Gmail for various reasons, but it does not offer any future delivery scheduling functions.

Then I recently came across a great free service that solves both problems above. It’s called LetterMeLater.com (http://www.lettermelater.com/). It does not only let you schedule emails within their interface but also allows you to schedule and send out emails from your own email client by using a special lettermelater address. For me, this service comes in quite handy.

Social Media Tools
There are several tools out there that let you schedule your tweets/status updates, but by far, my favorite is HootSuite (http://www.hootsuite.com/). HootSuite’s other handy features include updating your status on multiple social media sites, letting you see what people are saying about you or anybody you specify, and much more. It’s such a time saver and, oh so user-friendly, too!

Happy batching!

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Raise that thermostat for your biz

January 30th, 2010 by admin | No Comments | Filed in coach, mindset, networking

I belong to a wonderful Virtual Assistant community called AssistU, and a couple weeks ago, its Southern California Chapter held a 2010 kick-off luncheon meeting. There were 6 of us, and we ended up talking and talking for well over 3 hours, discussing our business challenges and sharing great stories over authentic Chinese dishes. I happened to be the newest VA among the group, and learned so much from everybody. These are all professional ladies who take their business very seriously; the word “excuse” is simply not in their dictionary. They all hold super high standards.

Did I get motivated by talking to these ladies? You bet! Did the conversations with them help me stand taller as a business owner? Absolutely!! It was like raising the thermostat setting for my business. I realized then that I had probably started feeling a bit too comfortable about where I was in spite of my desire to grow my business by leaps. We all know that changes are not always comfortable, right?

Now that I own my business, I realize the importance of surrounding myself with the right people more than ever. Here are some ways that I discovered to do so to keep raising the biz thermometer:

  1. Network with the right people. There are many ways to network with other business owners, but it’s also easy to end up networking with people who will not really help you grow. You should try surrounding yourself with people who are already where you want to be, or whom you can grow together with. Great places to find these people include seminars of your specific interests, social networking sites, or very specialized meetup groups.
  2. Join or start a mastermind group with like-minded people. While many people are revisiting the knowledge shared in Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich these days, more and more mastermind groups seem to be popping up everywhere. I believe the key to joining/forming a mastermind group is to find members who are really willing to contribute to other members. Otherwise, it’s easy for the group meeting to turn into a “let me complain about my business” session, and that would simply be waste of time.
  3. Find a coach. A coach will guide you to keep taking steps to get where you want to be. The right coach will always keep your best interest in mind and push you to constantly to raise your business standards.
  4. If you are not sure about hiring a coach right now, start with finding an accountability partner. That could be your friend who is also trying to grow his/her business, or somebody who is a bit ahead of you in their business. Have a weekly call about business challenges and goals, and keep each other accountable for taking actual actions to get closer to those goals.

Then look into a mirror, and say to yourself, “I’m worth it,” because you are!

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VA Toolbox: Microsoft Expression Web

January 13th, 2010 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

Until early 2009, I had not been doing a whole lot of website building/maintenance work. But as the year progressed, I found myself spending more and more time taking care of various websites and ezines, some of them requiring me to go into HTML and CSS codes. I had been using a free HTML editor called Nvu for a while. But at some point, I’ve decided it would make sense to invest in a more powerful HTML editor to be more effective.

Naturally, I first thought I was going to buy the favorite tool among professional webmasters: Dreamweaver. Well, very long story short, that purchase did not happen, and instead, I bought Microsoft Expression Web, a successor of Front Page.

To be honest, I was not expecting much from Expression Web, mainly due to the not-so-great experience I had with Front Page years ago. Also the retail price ($250 less than Dreamweaver) told me I probably should be prepared for a little inconveniences. BUT, to my pleasant surprise, I found Expression Web to be a wonderful helper!

I’m still learning to become more proficient in CSS, but Expression Web’s CSS tools are very intuitive and easy to use. If HTML codes are not used properly or missing, Expression Web warns you with a short comment explaining what is wrong. I know “live view” is considered to be a fantastic feature with the latest version of Dreamweaver, but Expression Web’s preview feature works just fine to preview the page. Oh, and I found Expression Web loads faster than Dreamweaver, which I love.

If you are looking for an economical alternative to Dreamweaver, I highly recommend checking out Expression Web.

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10 Ways to Get Out of a Funk

December 30th, 2009 by admin | No Comments | Filed in mindset, tool

frustrationI don’t know if this happens to everybody, but I’m sure it happens to many of us. Without any clear reason, out of nowhere, you simply do not feel motivated to get stuff done. This actually happened to me during this past month. There were many things that I knew I wanted to work on to move my business forward, but I found myself putting them in the back burner, day after day. It’s true I had other things to take care of, but I was also aware that I was not *in the mood* to work *on* my business.

That sure was a very uncomfortable place to be! However, I knew I could handle the situation because that was certainly not the first time something like that had happened to me. There are many things you can do to get out of a funk. Here are the ten tips that I personally found helpful for myself.

1. Turn to a motivational expert: If you are like me, you probably have a collection of books and audios that have inspired you in the past. Revisit them. Or go to a library and pick up an inspirational book that you have been curious about. This is exactly what I did this time. The book was Happy for No Reason by Marci Shimoff, and it instantly lifted my spirits. Highly recommended.

2. Talk to other soloprenurs: It sometimes helps a lot to speak and open up with people who understand your business. I network with other solopreneurs and found that I could get motivated just by talking with them. Just yesterday, I had a chance to have a coffee with a friend who is also a solopreneur, and man, I was motivated after listening to his plan for 2010.

3. Change the posture to change the mood: More and more experts are now pointing out the strong connection between body and mind. If you spend most of the day in front of a computer feeling you are stuck in a funk, get up on your feet. Lie down in a couch to brainstorm instead. Or get out and take a walk. Instead of typing up a business plan, grab a pen and paper. Making physical changes could really help you unstuck. Just give it a try.

4. Get a good night sleep: Not so long time ago, while I was trying hard to be a good mom/wife as well as a successful solopreneur, I used to stay up until 2:00am on many nights. Sure, I was able to get a lot of stuff done, but after doing that for a while, I found myself tired and not very productive during the day. I’ve finally come to the conclusion that human beings are meant to have plenty of sleep! Lack of sleep is simply not healthy, physically and mentally.

5. Look at your eating habits: You hear many moms blaming sugar for their kids’ hyperactivity, but we rarely think about how foods could affect our mood (well, except for alcoholic drinks, I guess). Aren’t you taking too much sugar in your diet? Or, maybe too much caffeine just to get that perk, only to get exhausted afterward? Think about eating healthy alternatives that would give you some real energy.

6. Exercise: This is in line with “change the posture” above. Taking short breaks during the day to stretch yourself, or even better, taking a long break to get out and do some fun physical activities can really help you get out of the unmotivated state. You do not need to go to a gym. Just take a brisk walk or jog. Or even a Wii Fit (My favorite, LOL).

7. Meditate: I recently learned about the “happiest person in the world” Matthieu Ricard from one of my clients and have been fascinated about him. People have pointed out one of his big secrets to be calm, focused, and happy is his daily meditation. Your “funk” may be a sign that you should pay more attention to your mind, and meditation is a great way just to do that.

8. Watch a movie, read a book, sing a song… Entertain yourself: Have you watched a movie that made you smile for the rest of the day? Movies, books, and music all can have a great positive impact on our feelings. I’ve been reading Diary of a Whimply Kid with my boys every night, and boy, that book cracks us all up and helps us go to bed in a great mood. Just try it! (No, you don’t have to read the Diary, LOL. Choose whatever that would make you smile.)

9. Count your blessings: Acknowledging the things you are grateful for is a great way to empower yourself. Just this past November, I’ve participated in a fun project called “30 Days of Thanks” and blogged about what I was thankful for every day, which turned out to be a great experience for me. You do not need to blog, just keep a gratitude journal or put up a big sheet of paper on a wall somewhere and keep writing down what you are grateful for every day.

10. Surrender and go with the flow: I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. If none of your efforts to get out of the funk works, maybe you are meant to be in a funk for a few days or longer to grow bigger. It’s like that dreadful “Terrible Two’s” (that my youngest is going through right now, I might add) — It’s annoying, inconvenient, and frustrating to parents, but all kids eventually grow out of that stage, and when they do, they are more mature. And you know what they say… You often feel very uncomfortable when you are ready to go up to the next stage of life. Maybe it’s the same with business.

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30 Days of Thanks ~ Day 30

December 10th, 2009 by admin | No Comments | Filed in gratitudes
30daysofthxThe fabulous Heather and Stacy that I know from my VA alma mater AssistU started this project called 30 Days of Thanks. The idea of doing my gratitude journal on my blog instantly resonated with me, so I’ve been playing along here. Read more about 30 Days of Thanks here. Today is the Day 30 – last day – for me, but I know my Thank You list will continue to grow, and I’m so grateful for that!

kissDay 30

Wow, it’s Day 30! And I sure haven’t yet covered tons of people and things I’m grateful for. I can’t choose what I’m going to write about… Now, how lucky is that I have such a long list? ;)

So today, I simply want to send out my virtual hugs and kisses to everybody.

My family, my friends, people who directly and indirectly made an impact on me and on the world…

THANK YOU!!

Here is to awesomeness in every single one of us. :)

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30 Days of Thanks ~ Day 29

December 8th, 2009 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized
30daysofthxThe fabulous Heather and Stacy that I know from my VA alma mater AssistU started this project called 30 Days of Thanks. The idea of doing my gratitude journal on my blog instantly resonated with me, so I’m playing along here. Read more about 30 Days of Thanks here, and why don’t you join us!

merciDay 29

I had a blog withdrawal for the last several days, LOL. Oh well, things happen, and I know sometimes it’s good to go with the flow.

Just yesterday, I received some touching comments from a few of my clients, both verbally and via email, thanking me for the work I do for them. Yes, on the same day! And of course, that put a huge smile on my face. Thank you all, for making my day in a big way. :)

“Thank you” is such a beautiful phrase. I do not do things just to get an appreciation, but still, a little thank you’s can give people such a wonderful feeling, and I think it’s so important.

I’m grateful for people who appreciate others. They make a huge difference in others’ lives.

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30 Days of Thanks ~ Day 28

December 4th, 2009 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized
30daysofthxThe fabulous Heather and Stacy that I know from my VA alma mater AssistU started this project called 30 Days of Thanks. The idea of doing my gratitude journal on my blog instantly resonated with me, so I’m playing along here. Read more about 30 Days of Thanks here, and why don’t you join us!

Day 28

I am not crazy about cold weather, but I still love this season! Here in Southern California, it of course does not really get cold even during the winter, but even when I was living in the areas where the temperature drops below freezing during December, the cheerful and somewhat rushed atmosphere always made me excited.

And more than me, I think my husband loves this season. He gets busy bringing out the lights and shopping for the boys. (No, I’m the lazy one when it comes to holidays, LOL.)

I know he loves doing those things because he simply wants to see our boys’ faces light up. And I love seeing my husband happy. :)

I’m thankful for this lovely season.

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30 Days of Thanks ~ Day 27

December 2nd, 2009 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized
30daysofthxThe fabulous Heather and Stacy that I know from my VA alma mater AssistU started this project called 30 Days of Thanks. The idea of doing my gratitude journal on my blog instantly resonated with me, so I’m playing along here. Read more about 30 Days of Thanks here, and why don’t you join us!

j0423840Day 27

It’s already December, I know. But since I started my 30 Days of Thanks a bit late, I have decided to continue blogging my Thanks until *my* Day 30. Besides, I’m having too much fun to stop now. :)

Today, I’m very grateful for the laughter we have in our family. Yes, we laugh a lot, and I just love that.

When I get a little grumpy or sad, it’s my boys’ pure, silly laughter that brighten up my day. They have the power to make me realize how silly it is to worry about small things in life. Their laughter is contagious!

My husband and I must have done something right to have such happy kiddos. ;)

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30 Days of Thanks ~ Day 26

December 1st, 2009 by admin | No Comments | Filed in gratitudes
30daysofthxThe fabulous Heather and Stacy that I know from my VA alma mater AssistU started this project called 30 Days of Thanks. The idea of doing my gratitude journal on my blog instantly resonated with me, so I’m playing along here. Read more about 30 Days of Thanks here, and why don’t you join us!

toothDay 26

All of us in my family seem to be very prone to cavities, and I think we make more trips to our dentist than most people. No, that is not something I’m grateful for, LOL.

But I’m very grateful for the wonderful dentist and his staff who take care of us so well.

Just this morning, I had to go through a procedure to replace an old, corroding crown. This particular appointment took almost 2 hours, and while trying so hard to keep my mouth wide open without drooling, I was so impressed by the teamwork between the dentist and his assistant. They knew precisely how everything should be done without exchanging many words, and they were constantly checking on me to make sure I was okay. Oh, it’s hard to explain how impressed I was by their efficiency in words.

The dentist also has another assistant, and two ladies who take care of financial/admin stuff, and they are all awesome. I don’t know it’s a good thing, but my kids do not even mind their trips to the dentist’s office. ;)

It’s great to have a great dentist who we can trust.

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